This article explains all the key concepts in shooting digital video today, from the very basics right up to professional jargon and equipment. You don't have to read every page, though, to find out what you need to know. To make it easy we've compiled an A-Z index (below). You just find the term you want explained and click it, and you'll go straight to the relevant entry.
1-9
16:9 ratio: Aspect ratios
3:2 ratio: Aspect ratios
4:3 ratio: Aspect ratios
4K video: Video resolution
A
Action cam: Camera types
Anamorphic: Aspect ratios
Aperture (lens): Exposure control for video
Aspect ratios: Aspect ratios
Autofocus: Lenses for video
B
Bitrate: Bitrate | External HDMI recorder
C
Chest brace: Stabilization and rigs
Chroma (Cb, Cr) channels: Chroma subsampling
Chroma subsampling
CinemaDNG: ProRes
Cinema lens: Stabilization and rigs
Class rating: Memory cards and speed
Clean HDMI: HDMI | External HDMI recorder
Codec: Video file formats vs codecs
Compact camera: Camera types
Compact Flash cards: Memory cards and speed
Compact system camera: Camera types
Compression: Bitrate
Container file: Video file formats vs codecs
Continuous lighting: Lighting for video
D
DNxHD: ProRes
DSLR: Camera types
Dynamic range: Exposure control for video
E
Editing: Video editing software
Exposure: Exposure control for video
F
File formats: Video file formats vs codecs
Follow focus: Lenses for video
Frame rate: Frame rate
F-stop (aperture): Lenses for video
Full HD: Video resolution
G
Grading: White balance | Video editing software | Grading
H
H.264: Video file formats vs codecs
HDMI: HDMI | External HDMI monitors | External HDMI recorder
HD video: Video resolution
Headphones: Headphones for audio monitoring
I
Inter frame (IPB) compression: Intra-frame vs inter frame
Interlaced video: Progressive vs interlaced video
Intervalometer: Slow motion, stop motion and time lapse video
Intra-frame (All-I) compression: Intra-frame vs inter frame
Iris (lens): Exposure control for video
ISO: Exposure control for video
K
Key frame: Intra-frame vs inter frame
L
Lapel mic: External microphone
LED panel: Lighting for video
Lenses: Lenses for video
Lighting: Lighting for video
Log mode: Exposure control for video
Luminance (Y) channel: Chroma subsampling
M
Manual exposure: Exposure control for video
Memory cards: Memory cards and speed
Microphone: External microphone
Monitors: External HDMI monitors
N
ND filter: Variable ND filter
NTSC: Frame rate
P
PAL: Frame rate
Picture styles: Picture styles
Progressive video: Progressive vs interlaced video
ProRes
Pull focus: Lenses for video
R
Recording time limit
Resolution: Video resolution
Rigs: Stabilization and rigs
Run and gun: Stabilization and rigs
S
SD cards: Memory cards and speed
Sharpening: Picture styles
Shotgun mic: External microphone
Shoulder brace: Stabilization and rigs
Shutter speed: Exposure control for video
Slow motion: Frame rate | Slow motion, stop motion and time lapse video
Smartphone: Camera types
Sound recorder: External microphone
Stabilizer: Stabilization and rigs
Standard HD: Video resolution
STM lens (Canon): Lenses for video
Stop motion: Slow motion, stop motion and time lapse video
T
Time code
Time lapse: Slow motion, stop motion and time lapse video
Titles: Video editing software
Transitions: Video editing software
T-stop (aperture): Lenses for video
U
UHD video: Video resolution
UHS memory cards: Memory cards and speed
V
VPG rating: Memory cards and speed
W
Z
Zebra pattern: Exposure control for video
